SACRILEGE: TWO DERA FOLLOWERS SENT TO 2-DAY POLICE CUSTODY

FARIDKOT: The special investigation team (SIT) probing 2015 sacrilege incidents on Monday brought two dera followers, accused of pasting of derogatory posters near the Bargari gurdwara, on production warrants from the Mansa jail. The court of judicial magistrate sent them to two-day police custody.

The SIT led by inspector general of police, border range, Surinder Pal Singh Parmar had on May 17 arrested the duo along with Nishan Singh, Ranjit Singh, Pardeep Kumar and Shakti Singh in a case registered in connection with a sacrilege incident wherein torn pages of “bir” (copy of Guru Granth Sahib) were found scattered at Bargari village in Faridkot district in 2015. The court had sent them to police custody till May 21.

Sukhjinder, Baljit and Nishan tested positive for Covid on May 19 after which they were admitted to the Faridkot hospital. The court had sent them to judicial custody till June 1 and directed SIT to get their Covid tests conducted and produce the results on the fixed date.

Defence had filed a complaint in the court on Saturday alleging that the SIT has violated the court orders by wrongfully confining Sukhjinder and Baljit from Covid care ward of GGSMCH on Friday and keeping them at the Bajakhana police station. Debunking the allegations, the SIT told the court that both the accused were kept in safe custody while shifting them to the Mansa jail from hospital in Faridkot.